Doctor Who: The silent years
by Ultraobsessivenerd
Summary: My name is Melody Pond, when I was a little girl, my mother had an imaginary friend, and when we grew up, he came back. He's called the Doctor, he comes from somewhere else. He's got a box called the TARDIS which is bigger on the inside and can travel anywhere in time and space, he ran away from me, and I've been looking for him ever since.
1. The ruins of Androzani part 1

Chapter 1: The ruins of Androzani part 1

My name is Melody Pond, when I was a little girl, my mother had an imaginary friend, and when we grew up, he came back. He's called the Doctor, he comes from somewhere else. He's got a box called the TARDIS which is bigger on the inside and can travel anywhere in time and space, he ran away from me, and I've been looking for him ever since. That's why I study archeology here at Luna University, you could say that I've dedicated my whole life to finding this man. I probably sound like a crazy stalker now. I wouldn't say I was a stalker, but I am definitely crazy. Why am I looking for him again? Well first of all because he is my only ticket out of here, being stuck in one time zone is so boring. But he also seems to have some sort of significance in my life, in a way that my life seems to be centered around this one man. Doesn't sound very feministic, but it's true. I was raised to kill him, but according to what he said, it sounds like I'm going to become the love of his life. Now, I don't really believe in love, that's the stuff of fairy tales. The Doctor may be some sort of whimsical fairy tale character, but I'm not. Still, it's a very intriguing mystery, how could a girl resist?

"Oh, excuse me, miss Song?"

"Please, just call me River already."

"Not gonna happen miss Song."

That's one of my classmates, his name is Marcus. He's helping me locating the Doctor. He's an enthusiastic conspiracy theorist, he could never resist this. An immortal man with an ever changing face, always found where danger lurks, it's like christmas for him. Oh you're wondering why he calls me River Song? Well, that's the name the Doctor called me. I still have no idea why, that will be the first question I ask him once I finally find him.

"I think I've found a sighting a little closer to home. 'The spectrox conflict' of the 5060s."

"I'm sorry, I must have slept through that lesson."

"Androzani? Sharaz Jek? Morgus? Not ringing any bell? All right, whatever. You see, long story short, twin planets, Androzani Minor and Androzani Major, human colony, there was a big conflict between the outlaw Sharaz Jek and the chief chairman Morgus. A small bloody war, and reported sightings of a young blonde man in white and red clothes, with a plant on his jacket, and a presumed dead young girl in his arms, running across the battlefield of Androzani Minor."

"The Doctor! There has been other sightings of him looking like that!"

"Exactly, but it seems like the new government of Androzani denies all about that man being involved with anything, or even existing. I smell conspiracy!"

"Seems like you and I are taking the first ship to Androzani Minor."

"Not Minor. That's impossible. The air may have become cleaner, but you see. There used to live these monsters in the planet's caves, Magma beasts. There used to be few of them, but they've been crawling all over the planet now, multiplying like rats. Besides, it's at Major all the political fuss is, maybe we can get some statements."

"Political corruption, air pollution, Magma beasts, sounds like my kind of planet."

We skipped a lot of classes that day to get to Androzani Major. Not a lot of people went there, considering the planet's reputation. We had to repeat the place's name three times before the chauffeur got it. Honestly people have such bad taste nowadays.

Marcus was continually talking about his conspiracy theories about the Doctor on the trip. About how the title of the Doctor was passed on to different time travelling agents of some secret intergalactic organization, bend on taking over the galaxies. But other times the Doctor was a ghost, the spirit of a dead universe, haunting every coner of the universe containing death and misery. Honestly that boy should probably be a sci-fi writer instead of an archaeologist.

I started wondering what I would even do, once I found the Doctor, if I could. I had been raised to kill him, but in a moment of the silly romantic thoughts of an easily affected young girl, I had given up all my lives for him. It would be a huge waste to kill him now. I have been studying him for a long time now, and most of what the Silence has said about him, seems like absuloute bogus. From the looks of it, he's been helping a lot of people. Human and alien. That's why they call him the Doctor, he makes people better. But not all seemed to think that. Lots of civilisations still exist because of him, but a lot have been destroyed because of him too. Some people call him 'the oncoming storm' and 'the bringer of darkness', too dramatic if I may say so myself. But which man would I meet? The warrior? Or the healer?

For that moment I just thought 'it doesn't matter right now, I'm not gonna meet him anyway'. This wasn't the first time I had been looking for him, I had been all over the damn place. Meglos, the sense-sphere, the ood-sphere, no sign of him anywhere. Why would today be any different? And oh how wrong I was.

When we arrived at Androzani Major, I was surprised. I had heard Marcus describing it as a horrific place. He described it as an ugly, dry, environmentally damaged place full of ugly buildings and war. But what I saw, was simply beautiful. You could tell the planet had been through much, but how do I explain it? It just looked so green now. The air was clean, the buildings were clean, and people looked happy. Running around, being typical people.

"Well you're horrible at descriptions Marcus."

"Oh don't let a couple of nice lawns, trees and new democratic government fool you, the spirit of a society never dies."

"Yeah you're right, it's probably still controlled by the Illuminati(!)"

"Pfft, oh please, the Illuminati was destroyed years ago by the headless monks."

"Yeah I'll believe your stories about those when I see them."

"I'll show em to you one day, the Doctor probably knows all about them."

"Yeah. Well, where to now my conspiracy guide?"

"Well a little bird told me that there was going to be a fancy party at the new president's house soon. Maybe you can charm some information out of those old politicians."

"Oh I'm way ahead of ya."

He took my arm, and we strolled down the beautiful ruins of Androzani. Everything looked like a normal society. Cars, streets, some ugly graffiti here and there. As we walked about there, I could only wish for some trouble to show up, because that's where you find the Doctor. And right on cue. We strolled by what looked to be some kind of military airport. A big group of handsome men in uniforms was on their way into a ship. And I thought I could hear faint voices mentioning that lovely place, Androzani Minor.

"Looks like you're gonna have to get into that party by yourself, I've got a ship to catch."

"You've gotta be kidding me. How?"

"I have my methods. You just focus on your little conspiracy talks, okay dear?"

"But how am I supposed to get into that party by myself?"

"Just snog some of their gorillas. Usually works for me."

My past and childhood is all a jumbled mess to me, but the Silence did teach me something. All it took was some hallucinogenic lipstick and stealing some guy's uniform, and the next thing you know, I'm on another planet!

But Androzani Minor was definetly not Androzani Major. This was closer to what Marcus had described. A raw barren desert planet, filled with sand, caves and the occasional Magma beasts. We shot a couple of them on our way here. That's what this unit was for, finding their nest, and just kinda eradicate their species. You know, just typical human stuff. But to be honest, those magma beasts really weren't anything special. Just these weird human dinosaur things with shells, all they did was roar, pretty boring stuff.

"All right guys, the trail seems to be getting warmer, I think we're getting closer" their general said.

I almost didn't get what he said, because I saw someone. Walking across the desert, almost right in front of us. But nobody seemed to notice him. He was wearing a black robe, and walking calmly into a cave.

"I wonder" I thought.

Once I got the chance, I snuck away from the soldiers. They didn't seem to notice, they seemed pretty stupid. I got to the cave. There he sat, calmly on a stone, his hood hiding his face.

"All right what's the deal Obi-Wan? Who are you and what are you doing here?"

He took his hood of, and looked up at me. I hoped it might be, but never dared to think. There he was, the Doctor, and he had just the right face I was looking for. The black hair, the big chin, the child-like face and the bowtie. He looked at me, smiled and said:

"Well, this was unexpected. Hello sweetie."

"Oh don't 'sweetie' me, you owe me a ton of answers old man."

"I owe you answers? Well that's a first. Where are we now?"

"Androzani Minor you idiot."

"No, I mean in your timeline. When did we meet last? Your diary?"

"This one?"

I took out my diary. The one he left me when he went away, it was blue, like his TARDIS. I always carried it with me, didn't know why.

"Well last we met, you left me at Luna University in the year 5123. I've been looking for you for two years!"

"That long back? Wait so you still haven't...? Oh..."

"Oh? What's that supposed to mean? What haven't I done?"

"Never mind that. Spoilers!"

"Spoilers? Look I have a lot of questions for you..."

"I'm used to it. Ask away."

"Well for starters, why are you wearing a robe?"

"Because robes are cool. Also I'm in hiding."

"What are you hiding from?"

"Spoilers."

"Dear lord, why did I even look for you in the first place? The soldiers out there? Why didn't they see you?"

He took out a necklace with a key at the end.

"Perception filter. They still see me, they just don't notice me."

"Then why can I see you?"

"Because you were already looking for me, if I'm right. Next question."

"Where's the TARDIS."

The Doctor put on an annoying smirk, and clicked his fingers. And it almost seemed like two invisible doors opened behind him, revealing the console room of the TARDIS. I stared in awe. How could I not? I walked in there like I was in a trance. It looked the same as last time, but it was still marvelous. The orange lights, the sound of millions of gadgets, and the feeling of life.

"You made the TARDIS invisible? You really went all in to this hiding thing."

"Well, I try."

"So, where are we going next? I always wanted to see Egypt, and Cleopatra, which planets can you recommend?"

"Is that why you're here? To travel?"

"Well yeah, I don't wanna be stuck at a university the rest of my life. Education is so overrated. Also, I'm curious. You seem to already know who I am, you called me River Song before I did. Where did that name come from?"

"It's your own name, written in the language of the gamma forest. They don't have a word for Pond, the only water in the forest is the River."

"Well isn't that interesting? Tell me, do you really love me? Am i your 'sweetie' in the future?"

"You were the one who gave me all your regenerations."

"Oh that was just a 'in the moment' kind of thing. Truth be told, I really don't go in for that sort of thing. I'm more of a free modern woman type of gal. Tell me, why did you go into hiding here? Of all places."

"I've been to many places, I don't stay at one place for long. But why are you here? How did you know where to find me?"

"Well because you're not very discreet. There's been sightings of you here, back when you were a handsome blonde wearing a vegetable."

"Celery. Celeries are cool."

"Also, trouble's always brewing when you're around. Now this planet is infested with Magma beasts."

"Then why do you wanna go? I thought you liked danger."

"Is that a challenge? Well you can consider it accepted."

"Well then, come along Song."

He gave me a perception filter.

I was back in business, going on adventures with my mother's imaginary friend. Back then I wanted to marry him, perhaps I still did. No one can deny that he was interesting. People fear him, they call him a bringer of darkness, an oncoming storm, but all I could see was a bowtied twelve year old tripping over nothing.

"What are you hiding behind that bowtie?" I thought.

It was a weird experience, walking casually through caves filled with monsters who didn't notice a thing. Not being noticed was definetly something I wasn't used to.

Suddenly we heard gunfire and screams.

"Steven! No please! Don't kill me! Mercy!"

Then the screams stopped. My hearts pounded fast, and I was confused. Who could that soldier be talking to? Was there someone behind all this?

We walked in to the room. Seemed like we had found their nest. A huge cave that seemed to go on forever, filled with hundreds of Magma beasts, eggs, dead soldiers and a mysterious man in the middle of it. He looked human, he was old. He had a long white beard, a black cape, and weirdly, how do you explain? Evil eyes.

"Doctor. I thought you'd might show up. Interesting new regeneration, not my style, but whatever suits you. I see that you've brought a friend again. My, she looks fierce."

"Doctor, do you know this man?"

"Well if I'm right, he calls himself the Master."


	2. The ruins of Androzani part 2

**Chapter 2: The ruins of Androzani part 2**

Let's just say I had imagined being locked inside a small room alone with the Doctor before, but this was not what I had imagined. This mysterious bearded man, "the Master" had locked us inside a cave made into a hightech cell. He had apparently seen right through the perception filter, and the Doctor didn't even fight the Magma beasts. He actually told me to put away my gun when I was getting ready to fight, and just willingly get captured. This guy is supposed to be that great warrior everyone fears so much? Now we were locked inside a cage, with no weapons, no sonic screwdriver, no TARDIS, no means of getting out.

"Well, Doctor, I have you right where I wan't you now. You really thought a perception filter would work? Oh how typically childish of you Doctor" The Master looked at us with a devilish smile. There was still that thing in his eyes. Madness. Pure utter madness, and an honest desire for- and enjoyment of chaos, I could see it all. Both me and the Doctor may be mad in some ways, but this was a different kind of madness.

"Still, I'm a bit dissapointed in you. You looked much older the last time we met, but you had much more of a fighting spirit. You used to be able to hold you own in a swordfight, you used to be able to defeat ten men alone with your martial arts. Now you're deliberately surrendering yourself, and even forbidding your companion to fight. You used to be a fighter! What happened to all that?"

"I kept fighting, that's what happened."

The Doctor stared intensely into his eyes, with a look I hadn't seen before. His facial expression had hardly changed, but you could feel the anger in him. A supressed silent fury, perhaps a storm... And I could see that the Master enjoyed every last second of it.

"How many lives have you used Doctor?"

"Eleven."

"That's about as many as me. The only difference is, that I'm going to live forever, while you and your accomplice will die. Slowly, watching me taking over the universe."

"Taking over the universe eh? How original. How will you do it this time?"

The Master pointed to his head. I hadn't noticed it until now, too worried about dead soldiers, monsters and a psychopathic villain. He had some kind of metal ring around his head.

"Do you like it Doctor? I call it the Magma Crown."

"Looks more like a tiara" I said.

The Master looked angrily, but surprised at me. This guy was just some wannabe villain. I wasn't afraid anymore, I couldn't allow myself to be.

"Well she's a feisty one Doctor."

"They often are these days, tell me about your tiara."

"The Magma Crown, is a new invention of mine. Made to stregthen my telepathic powers to control all Magma beasts on this planet. It was fairly easy actually, they have very low intellect. Right this very moment, I'm learning them how to use guns, so generously provided by these dead soldier friends of yours. I do always find dead people to be quite useful. I've been breeding an army of these beasts Doctor, and soon, I'm going to fill them all inside my TARDIS. I'll escort them to Androzani Major, invade the planet, assassinate the president, and then this planet will be mine."

"Why this planet? What's so special about it?" The Doctor asked. He almost looked frightened, like something was haunting him. Maybe there was another reason why he chose this planet to hide at.

"Androzani Major may seem like a pleasant society right now. But underneath those clean buildings and smiling consumers. There are gang wars, poverty, human trafficking, and all sorts of other dirty things the politicans of this planet wants people to ignore. It's a very fragile society. Something that's easy to destroy. And this is just the first of many planets. Well, I have to go now, enjoy your time in captivity."

The Master started to walk out of the caves, followed by all the Magma beasts, like they were military soldiers. This man was powerful.

"Doctor. He was another timelord wasn't he?"

"Yes."

"But how can that be? I thought that you were the only...that we were the only ones left."

He chuckled slightly, but I couldn't tell if it was a happy chuckle.

"He's an echo from the past. Before the time war started, there were a few others like me. Renegade timelords, people who had escaped Gallifrey to travel time and space. He was one of them. You could say he was kind of my arch nemesis. This version of him is from long before the time war, though I've never met this incarnation of him before."

"So there are actually other timelords out there? Other echoes?

"Yes. But the universe is big, I rarely run into them. Besides, their future has already been set anyway, they'll die in the time war, nothing can change that."

"So what do we do now? We're trapped."

"Oh are we?" The Doctor said with a smirk.

He put his hand through the cage bars, reached the little panel on the wall, entered a code, and the cage opened.

"How did you...?"

"An important detail about me River is, I don't always speak the truth. I've been here before. I have been studying this complex for weeks. Memorizing all the codes and places. Which means, that I also know where they took our things."

I learned that day that the Doctor isn't easy to figure out. One moment he's like a little helpless child, and the next he becomes a super genius with every little detail of everything figured out. The Doctor managed to find our things. His screwdriver, his psychic paper, my gun, our perception filters, and a camera. We were soon walking trough the dessert again, invisible to the army of Magma beasts marching into the Master's TARDIS, disguised as a big rock, much more subtle than a police box. The Doctor was taking pictures of him with his camera, I didn't know why. Vacation photos? I had more important things to worry about.

"Doctor, why are we walking so slowly, they're marching into the TARDIS now!"

"If we run they'll notice us, besides, I have a timemachine, we have all the time in the world."

"What do you mean? What's the plan?"

"We return to the TARDIS, travel to Androzani Major at the beginning of this day, warn the president, evacuate the planet, and I'll improvise from there."

I tried not to look at the dead soldiers. I didn't exactly know them, but I did hear some of their conversations on the ship. That one's named Ronald. He was supposed to take a break soon, to visit his husband and daughter at Mars. His daughter had just learned to read, she was excited to read bedtime stories to her dad now, have some role reversal. I was raised to kill, I never thought I would feel sympathy for the dead.

We finally reached the cave containing the invisble TARDIS. We entered, and the Doctor started flicking switches and pushing buttons rapidly.

"Right! We're there" He said with a smile.

"What do you mean we're there? Last time we travelled, the TARDIS made this sound when it landed."

"Oh well, it's not actually supposed to make that sound. That's when you leave the brakes on. The Master actually does it, it's embarrasing really."

We stepped out of the TARDIS. We were in some kind of governmental office, unfortunately, it wasn't empty. An older blond curly haired woman in a suit and glasses gasped, and about seven security guards pointed their guns at us. We put our hands in the air.

"This whole 'discreet' thing doesn't really work for you does it?"

"It will eventually" He took out his psychic paper. "Hello everyone, my name is Harry Sullivan, I'm an Earth council diplomate, environmental minister and all sorts of other important titles. This is my secretary Zoe Heriot, and what you just saw was a demonstration of our super cool new teleportation technique, which we'll be discussing among other important political stuff, with the lovely Ms. President here. So if you could just put away your guns, including you Zoe, so we can talk."

I couldn't believe they bought that. Soon the security guards were standing outside, and we were talking with the president.

"Well we don't often get visitors from the Earth council, or anyone really" The president said, she mostly seemed like an old sweet grandma. Not a typical world leader. Androzani Major is not the hottest planet in the galaxy right now. But I'm hoping that soon will change. You're probably coming to the party here tonight too.

"Miss president" The Doctor said, suddenly calm and serious. "We're here to talk about more important matters, you could be in danger, the whole planet could be in danger."

"What do you mean?"

"The Magma beasts."

"Oh those, oh they're not a problem. They are on Minor, no one lives there. I know people have been worried, that's why I've sent a military force over there to find their nest."

My hearts skipped a beat. I realized that all the soldiers were still alive at this moment.

"Well that's the thing Miss President. We have actually already found the nest. There is a man over there. He calls himself the Master. He is the one who's been breeding all those Magma beasts, he's found a way to telepathically control them. He's taught them how to use guns, and he will soon be transporting them over here, to assassinate you, and take over the planet. We have photographic evidence."

He showed her the pictures he had taken of them. She looked confused. The poor woman.

"I know this is a lot to take in. But you have to evacuate the citizens. They'll probably show up at your party tonight."

She was silent for a while. She kept looking at the pictures, while the Doctor eagerly awaited a response.

"My dear Mr. Sullivan. I do not know if these pictures are even real. You can never tell these days. And it does seem like quite an imaginative story. No one would believe it. If there is something over there, the soldiers I sent will find it. Besides, tonight is really not the time. With the party and everything. It's quite an imprtant event. It's a great opportunity for this planet. Many influential people will be there. We haven't had much contact with the other colonies at all. Our interplanetary trading has been practically non existant these last few years. I can't stop that to focus on a problem that probably doesn't exist."

"But it does exist! It's important!"

"Mr. Sullivan!" She pressed a button, and a big window was opened. She stood up, with a threatening as if she was preparing to push us out the window. "Do not mention this to anyone else, or it will have consequences. We wouldn't want anyone to be worried tonight. Would we?"

"Very well then. Forget what we said. We need a place to stay. Do you have any guest rooms?"

"Oh yes, right this way" She closed the window, and started smiling again like nothing had happened.

I was starting to understand what Marcus meant when he said this was a corrupt society. I was also starting to miss Marcus. Him and I woulnd't arrive at the planet until tonight. I guess I would see him then, in all the chaos. It seemed like there was a thousand years until tonight.

"Okay then! We need to figure something out for ourselves!" The Doctor said. We were in a guest room now. "We have all day to figure something out! We can probably save a whole society ourselves no problem!"

"Doctor! Those soldiers, who we saw at Minor. They aren't dead yet."

"No that's true."

"Shouldn't we save them? We can stop them from going to Minor, we can warn them, they could help us!"

"No! It's absuloutely out of the question. If we stop them from going to Minor, you won't be going to Minor either, then we won't meet, and that will cause some serious confusions to the timelines. No, those people are already dead, there is nothing we can do for them."

"What about the Master? Are you going to kill him?"

"I can't. I told you already, he'll die in the time war, no sooner, no later. Nothing can change that."

"So you'll let innocent people die. But the destructive psychopath has to live?"

"River..."

"One of them has a daughter you know. I heard him. She just learned how to read, and she couldn't wait to start reading bedtime stories to her dad. No she only has one dad. The other one died because you thought it was important they did! You're no better than that crazy grandma who wanted to push us out the window to not ruin her political gain. You know what? I'm going to visit her now, to ask for another guest room."


	3. The ruins of Androzani part 3

**Chapter 3: The ruins of Androzani part 3**

I spent the rest of the day in the guest room. Never thought I would be able to just sit in a room an entire day without doing anything. Just showed how much had changed. I still remembered the first time I stepped into the TARDIS. It was a rush, mainly because I was actually on the run from the police. I acted a lot on impulse back then, thought I could just waltz into the TARDIS, kill both Hitler and the Doctor, while also going crazy in Berlin. I was naive.

I guess studying archeology taught me patience. Before Luna University, I would have never been able to focus on a study for two years with no interruptions. But I had something to keep me going. The thought of travelling in that marvelous blue box. To experience wonder, danger, mystery and romance. But now I could see the grim side of things. I wasn't even sure if I still wanted this. I always thought I was prepared for anything, maybe I wasn't as tough as I thought.

"Oh stop it River" I thought to myself. "Whining has never solved anything, and it never will. Let's take this one step at a time. The party will start in a couple of hours, and if there's anything you're remotely good at, it's partying."

Night came, and soon the mansion was filled hundreds of people in fancy clothes, drinking fancy stuff, and talking about fancy things. I was fancy too. The "nice" president let me borrow an old dress of hers. A black, slightly seductive long dress, my favourite.

I wandered around the room, hearing glances of conversations of every kind. Smalltalk, political talk, talks about pets. Blissfully unaware. I almost envyed them.

No sign of the Doctor. He was probably hiding somewhere, waiting for the moment to strike. He probably had some kind of plan, he was the Doctor. Always secretly one step ahead of everyone else.

I suddenly realized something. Marcus! I sent him to this exact party, only a couple of minutes ago from his point of view. I had to find him. He was probably trying to get in right now. I really needed someone to talk to besides the Doctor. I went to the party's entrance. And there he was, trying to persuade the body guards to let him in.

"Well no, I'm not exactly an influential person right now, but I'm probably going to be eventually..."

"Hey, you two guerillas. Let him in, he's an associate of mine."

"Miss Song...?"

"Just come in, then we'll talk."

Marcus walked in with a confused look on his face. It felt good not be the one who was confused.

"Well...aren't you fast?"

"Come on, have a drink with me, I'll explain."

"So the Doctor is not a time travelling reptile who works for the 'Earth invader's alliance'?"

"Pretty much none of your theories are true. He's just a mad man with a box, with unclear intentions. But I do think he's ultimately trying to help out."

"And this Master guy?"

"I'm not sure. Some evil brother, or vengeful ex-boyfriend, someone from his past. He's been breeding the Magma beasts, developing some way of telepathically controlling them, teaching them how to use guns. He's bringing them over here in his own TARDIS, he wants to assassinate the president, then take over the planet, then the universe."

"That's a lot to take in. So when are you saying he's coming."

"In about ten minutes."

"Do we have a plan?"

"The Doctor had these things called 'perception filters', which pretty much makes you invisible as long as you remain discreet. I stole his earlier. Once the Master's TARDIS comes, we're going to use them to sneak in there, then we'll find the Master, and I'll kill him."

"Kill him?! Doesn't that seem pretty harsh?"

"He's a psychopath, and he can't be allowed to live, no matter what the Doctor says."

"But isn't the Doctor the experienced one?"

"You haven't seen the Master. It's fine if you don't want to come with me."

"Are you crazy? I don't wanna get killed by dinosaur things with guns! Besides, I'm with you all the way. When all this is over, we're gonna have a chat with the Doctor, and the three of us will see the universe."

"I'm not sure if that's what I want anymore."

"Of course you are, it's just been a long and murderous day, we've all been there. You're gonna be fine."

"Thank you Marcus."

"You're welcome miss Song."

"Oh shut up."

We laughed, and took our perception filters.

The party stopped almost immediately, when that familiar sound came rushing through the room. The Master's TARDIS was there, disguised as a giant ice sculpture of the president. The Master is a lot like the Doctor, they both have a sense of drama.

The sculpture opened. And hundreds of Magma beasts stormed in guns blazing. Ten people died, fifty people started running, a hundred people screamed.

I heard the Master's voice rage through some sort of megaphone in his TARDIS.

"Greetings, citizens of Androzani Major. Politicians of the universe. Say hello to your new Master. You can call me; the Master."

The Magma beasts hardly noticed us. Marcus was terrified. I kept reminding him not to run, that he would be safe, and that we only had one chance.

We sneaked through the seemingly endless corridors of the TARDIS, slowly being emptied from the Magma beasts. It didn't look like the Doctor's TARDIS, this one seemed more outdated. It was completely white, and empty, drained from life. We followed the sound of the Master's voice. His speech about how he was superior to all, and that they would obey him, finally let us to him. He stood in a small room, with his Magma Crown on his head. Still looking unfashionable. I whispered for Marcus to stay where he was, and I slowly sneaked into the room, gun ready. I stood up, pointed my gun, and shot right through him.

"A hologram!"

"Oh that good old Doctor never picked the brightest companions."

I turned around, the room had closed, there were bars. The Master stood there, his hand around Marcus' throat.

"I would have thought you would bring the Doctor a long. Well, no matter, I see you've brought me another toy to play with."

"Please let him go, he's got nothing to do with this! I'll do anything...!"

"Oops, butterfingers."

Then he snapped his neck.

I was to shocked to even screamed. There I stood, completely still while Marcus' dead body fell to the floor like a lifeless puppet. His face was in shock, but his eyes were empty.

"You bastard!"

I started shooting at him, but it seemed like there was some kind of force field in front of the bars.

"Shoot all you like, you are completely lost either way. Don't you think there's a bit too much air in there? I think I'll just remove it."

He pressed a button on the wall, and I felt all air leave my lungs. I got dizzy, I couldn't breathe, couldn't think. Marcus. Doctor. I needed the Doctor, no matter what he had done.

"I'm sorry Marcus, for dragging you into this. I'm sorry Doctor, for being angry at you. I need you."

Suddenly two invisble doors opened behind the Master. Out came the Doctor. He was wearing a crown similar to the Master's on his head, and a calm expression of fury on his face.

"You stepped over the line this time Master."

"You know as well as I do my dear Doctor, that there is no line."

The Doctor pointed to his crown.

"You know what this means?"

"My mind against yours? Very well then. Contact."

"Contact."

Then I passed out.

I woke up in a bedroom. It wasn't a familiar bedroom, but just by looking at the walls, I knew exactly where I was. I stood up and went into the TARDIS console room, where the Doctor waited for me.

"River, you're awake, I'm guessing you have some more questions. I'm sorry."

"Me too. Thank you. But how did you...?"

"I took a three-day trip in the TARDIS, the moon, at the dawn of time, a lot of peace and quiet. There I managed to create a crown similar to the Master's. Telepathy is not a hard field to work in, I mostly just choose not too... Anyway, we had a telepathic connection, I made the Magma beasts kill themselves. Many people died, but the president survived, Androzani survived, for now. Then I send the Master away."

"But you didn't kill him?"

"You know I can't do that River, and even if I could, it would be wrong."

"What about Marcus?"

"I placed his body in a room, I thought you would want a proper burial for him, it can be any place you want, in the whole wide universe."

"How about the moon? At the dawn of time?"

The Doctor smiled slightly.

"He'll love it there."

It was a nice ceremony, the Doctor showed a lot more respect and compassion than I expected. Maybe he was better than I thought.

We returned to the TARDIS, I was exhausted, and the Doctor was quiet.

"Do you want me to bring you back?"

" To Luna University? There's nothing there for me anymore. I was only there to find you, and now that Marcus is gone I have even less reason to be there. I thought I would stay with you, but I'm not sure. You never did tell me. Why were you hiding at Androzani to begin with? I saw the way you looked at the planet, and I know you've been there before. Why there of all places?"

"As a reminder. To never break the vow. To never be cruel or cowardly, never give up, never give in. I live a tough life River. It can be tempting to give it all up, even among all the beauty and wonder of the universe. But there is one thing, that always keeps me going. A memory. Not the time war, something smaller. It happened right here, in this console room, that's where I for the first time felt death. It was right after the "spectrox conflict" as you human call it...or those humans call it... I was poisened, there was only enough antidote for my companion, Peri was her name. She was young, naive, and impulsive, but still precious. You all are. It was no ordinary poison, it stopped me from regenerating. That's when I felt it. I felt every cell in my body, giving up. Every color vanished, and I let it happen. I heard the sound of my friends, in my head, telling me to keep going, that I was needed, but I didn't. Until I saw him, the Master. He was laughing, delighted by my death. That's when I knew I had to keep going. To this day it still does. River my life is complicated. It's full of death, misery, unpredictability, excitement, fun, wonder and beauty. If you wish to share it with me, you've gotta be prepared."

"I've always been prepared. My whole life, these last two years has just been a slight hiccup. I'm ready now."

"Great! Now then, all of time and space, everything that ever happened and ever will. Where do you want to start?"

"I think I'll start with my bed, it's been a long day. A lot of people has died, one of them was my best friend."

"Yeah, know the feeling..."


	4. Secret lives

**Chapter 4: Secret lives**

"Doctor?"

"Shush River! Right now my name is Lord Vislor Turlough."

"Oh right. Also my name is not River."

The Doctor sighed.

"Hiding is hard..." he whimpered.

"No, you're just not very good at it."

"Hey, you were the first one to say the wrong name."

"Well Doctor isn't exactly a name, you might as well be a Doctor instead of a Lord."

"Well I kind of am both already..."

"Also, why do we have to change name every time period?"

"A precaution, so people can't find us in history files. It's hard for me too, usually whenever I'm in need of a human name, I just use the name John Smith."

"John Smith? Oh please, that's the most common and generic name in existence."

"Only because I use it so often."

"Of course, because every little special thing in the universe is your doing."

"Well, most of it anyway. Well, we got sidetracked there, what did you wan't to ask me?"

"Do you like this dress or this dress?"

"That one."

"Okay, remind me to never again ask you for fashion advice."

"Look River! I mean Lady Martha Jones, a fez!"

"Well that just supports my argument..."

I had been travelling with the Doctor for a while now. I wasn't sure how long though. Weeks, months? Time sort of disappears in that blue box of his. Or...invisible box of his...

I could feel on him that our current way of travelling was very new to him. He's not used to being discreet, or silent, or being at one place for more than a couple of days or hours it would seem. He's used to speed, danger, excitement, adventure and spontaneity. Same as me, that's what I hoped to find by travelling with him. Luckily I had two years of university to teach me patience, while the Doctor had a thousand years of adventure to wean of. Also I can't say that I minded the fashion of Elizabethan England.

That's where we had been for about three weeks, though the Doctor seemed to be getting impatient after two days, or two hours, time was very hard to tell those days. It's surprisingly easy getting by. The Doctor just finds some clothes true to our current period in his fabulously infinite wardrobe (he should really use that more often, and less exentricly), gets some food from the TARDIS, and just does our thing. Suddenly we're nobles. We had been living at a bunch of different places, the stone ages, New Earth, the 80s, which was quite a fashion catastrophe, especially for the Doctor. We dress based on our current time period, which seems new for the Doctor, I'm fairly sure he wears the same outfit every day. I can tell he misses his bowtie.

"We should visit Shakespeare tomorrow, lovely chap, I haven't spoken with him in a hundred years..."

"Doctor why did you buy the fez?"

"Shhh, it's Lord."

"Wandering around in a fez is not very discreet."

"I haven't seen a proper fez for years. Fezzes are cool."

"This isn't even the first time you talk about fezzes! What's so special about a fez?"

"Spoilers."

"You always say that, you know you can't keep secrets for me forever."

"I'm not, it's just payback. You'll get it some day."

"Well surely there must be something you can tell me."

"Like what?"

"Maybe what we're hiding from in the first place?"

"No, that's also spoilers."

I sighed annoyed. I was getting pretty sick of that word. I tried to think about some other questions I could ask. One had been on my mind for a while now, it just hadn't come out, I guess I was just afraid of the answer...

"What happened to my parents?"

The Doctor was quiet, he had that expressionless but sad face he usually had when you asked him about something emotional.

"I left them."

"Left them?"

"Don't worry they're safe. They're in their own time period, their own home."

"Why did you stop travelling together? You seemed so happy..."

"Oh we were, we were the best of friends. I hope we still are. But it can't last forever, it never can."

"Was it because of me...? Be honest."

He was silent, considering.

"Your parents went through a lot, especially with the Silence. But don't blame yourself, you didn't do anything, you were just born. If anything it was my fault, I was the one who took them out travelling again, even though all my work with them was done. I could have left them after their wedding, but I wanted more time with them, I had grown too attached to them, I was selfish."

"Have you travelled with many before them?"

"Oh yes, quite many. You wouldn't believe how many."

Suddenly I didn't feel so special anymore. But I knew that was silly so I carried on.

"Is this what always happens to them?"

"No, not always. Some left me, some got left behind, and some...not many but...well, some died..."

I sort of had an idea of that already, but it was different hearing him say that. With that empty face and sorrowful eyes.

"Did they ever tell you how they got together?"

"No, actually now."

"Well, the three of us were all friends growing up, they were sort of my guardians, trying to keep my out of trouble. They failed. But I always knew Rory had a thing for Amy. One day I mentioned how they should totally get togehter, do you know what Amy answered?"

"No, he's my friend?"

"No. She said: 'He's, you know, gay."

The Doctor burst out laughing. It was cute at first but then people started looking.

"Oh classic Pond that is!"

"Well then Amy was all like: 'When have you ever shown any interest in a girl?' Then Rory got all nervous and awkward and was like: 'I gotta go!' Three seconds later and Amy is like: 'Oh my God Rory!'"

"Haha! Oh those two. Well have they ever told you how they got married?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well I started travelling with Amy the night before her wedding day, one day I found out, that she had fallen in love with me. Slightly awkward. So I showed up as the stripper to stag, picked Rory up, and got them back together."

I couldn't stop laughing at the thought of the Doctor as a stripper, and my father's reaction to that.

"Wait, so if it wasn't for the two of us they would've never gotten together? I wouldn't even exist?"

"No, I suppose not...high five!"

I couldn't believe him, but I high fived him anyway. It was sort of cute.

I woke up in my bedroom in the TARDIS the next morning. Happy and content. It's those sort of times where you begin to wonder how you could have ever lived any differently. It was a magical life. We had access to everything worth exploring, all the dresses worth wearing, all the men worth flirting with. It was beautiful. I did feel like there weren't enough aliens and dangerous stuff at this time, but relaxing was nice too, at least for a little while.

Once I was dressed I went down to the control room, expecting the Doctor to be ready to go, but instead he was wearing his pajamas and running around pressing buttons.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh River, perfect timing we have to go."

"What? Why?"

"We always have to go, just come along Song! Oh! That's actually better than Pond!"

"I know we always have to go? But why so urgently. Weren't we going to flirt with...I mean meet Shakespeare today?"

"Yes but the plan's changed! I just got an angry letter from queen Elizabeht I! How does that woman even find me?"

"Queen Elizabeth I? What does she have to do with anything?"

"She's my wife."

The TARDIS stopped, we were now floating peacefully through space, very fitting since my brain seemed to had stopped too. Wife?

"You're married?"

"Well, it was kind of an accident. Long story. But she's always been very angry with me for not staying with her."

"Oh how fascinating(!), any other 'accidental wives' I should know about?"

"Well there's Marylin Monroe, but don't tell her if we ever meet her, insist that it was never a real church! Oh, and I almost got married to this aztec woman. Oh the memories, that was my first incarnation."

"Yeah, wonderful childhood memories..."

"Anyway. Where to now? How about Barcelona? Not the city Barcelona, the planet Barcelona! I always wanna go there, but nobody ever wanna go with me. Well, come along Song, of to the wardrobe!"

I tried hiding my anger, tried telling myself that I had no right to be jealous, that he promised me space and time, and nothing else. But still, when I met him, there were hints that he loved a woman named River Song, who turned out to be me, or at least future me. But can it really be that simple with the Doctor? He talked about accidental wives, but I had never heard of any genuine loves of his life. Even when my mother came onto him, his first thought was to get him back together with her fiancé. I felt smaller and smaller every day I spent with the Doctor. I knew I wasn't the first he travelled with, far from it. Was I the first he would ever love? Was he even capable of love?


	5. The Phantom of the Space Opera part 1

**Chapter 5: The Phantom of the Space Opera (part 1):**

 **(This story ties in with my other story: "The Doctor's granddaugther, so be sure to check that out too)**

When you run with the Doctor, it feels like it will never end. Because we're just always freaking running! You can't even go to a little café with the guy without suddenly having to run from a gang humanoid rhino things! Sometimes it's pretty fun, but God is it tiring.

This particular story starts with us running. We were just living our new lives at New New York at New Earth (not kidding) as Mr. Mickey Smith and Miss Alice Obiefune (I have no idea where he gets those stupid names. But he had the bright idea that we should buy some opera tickets, turned out one of this planet's cat ladies (just roll with it) could see through the good Doctor's psychic paper, and realized we weren't real citizens. So the Doctor simply stole the tickets, took my hand, ran of, and now we were being chased by guards.

"Is this your idea of discreet?!"

"Oh admit it River, you love it!"

I couldn't help but smirk.

"Maybe just a little bit."

The Doctor clicked his fingers, the invisible doors of the TARDIS opened, we jumped in, and the Doctor sent us flying of to space. Both of us slammed to the floor because of the pressure. The Doctor quickly got up to stabilize the TARDIS. Suddenly silence fell, and we were drifting peacefully through space.

The Doctor smiled and clapped his hands together.

"Great! That could've been a disaster!"

"Oh yeah, could've been. So? When's this show?"

"A couple hundred years from now, but who has time for that? We'll take a shortcut!"

He got ready at the console, and I suddenly felt adventurous.

"Can I try this time? You know? Piloting the TARDIS?"

The Doctor looked up, suddenly with a very serious expression. I suddenly felt like I was being intrusive. The TARDIS meant a lot to him, they were basically husband and wife (very typical of me, find the man who fanzies a box). He probably never let anyone else pilot it. I shouldn't just waltz into his life, thinking I was some kind of special snowflake.

"Oh yeah that's right...you have to learn it at some point..."

I was surprised, but also not surprised. There it was again, something I didn't know. But this time I didn't ask what it was, I was getting rather sick of his use of the word: "spoilers".

"Well, great! So how is it done?"

"I've already typed in the coordinates, so you should start by locking the doors, we don't want any nasty particles coming in here, especially not the ones who eats your jelly babies and gossips about molecule relationships."

"Great...how do I lock them?"

"Pull the lever."

I briefly stared at the console.

"Doctor there's like fifty levers here."

"That one. Now power up the atom accelerator!"

"You need to be more specific, I'm an archeologist, not leader of the Trekkies."

"Spoilers. Just stir that round rotating thingy with the red and blue sticks. I hope you're taking notes! Now pull the dematirialise lever!"

He was way to fast, I was barely done with the rotating thing. He was teasing me again, almost seemed like he was getting payback for something. "Just you wait" I thought to myself. "I am going to make a landing so fabulous you will be speechless for a whole minute" which was a lot, considering the Doctor was always talking. At least this time he actually pointed to the lever I was supposed to pull.

"Great!" The Doctor exclaimed and started to point at a thousand different things while giving instructions. "Engage the inertial dampers! Pull the space and time throttle to adjust the speed, use the blue stabilizers (at this point I could hear him subjugating a maniacal laugh) remember not to leave the brakes on so we come in silent (now he just let the maniacal laugh burst out). Hurry Song! You only have twenty seconds left!"

"There's a timer!? Is this even meant for one person?!"

"No it's more about thirty."

Once again I wanted to kill him. I couldn't keep up with his instructions, the TARDIS started shaking violently, a couple sparks started flying, and I could hear the whooshing sound we wasn't supposed to hear. Last time I heard that sound was over two years ago, I realized then that I had kind of missed it. Though I didn't have much time to dwell on that, since I was so frigthened. This wasn't how the TARDIS was supposed to fly, but the Doctor still seemed to be enjoying himself. Mum was right, mad man in a box.

Suddenly the TARDIS stopped, the lights went out, ten minutes of silence, and we heard a knock on the TARDIS doors.

How? Weren't we supposed to be invisble? Even if we weren't, who would see a blue box come out of nowhere, and have knocking as their first reaction?

There was a pause, then the Doctor unlocked the doors, clicked his fingers, the TARDIS opened, and there stood a young woman. She looked to be about seventeen, she had black curls, and looked slightly confused, which is understandable, but she looked less confused than she should be.

"Doctor?" She asked. "Where is the Doctor?"

Now I was the more confused one, we rarely met anyone who knew the Doctor.

"That would be me" The Doctor said, he looked slightly shocked, but then he started smiling.

"Well...you've changed quite a bit..."

"So have you Barbara Campbell!" The Doctor said with a large grin, as he ran down and hugged the poor perplex girl.

I looked out the TARDIS doors. I could see we had come to the wrong place. This was London, not futuristic London, yet still not the London you would know.

"But how is this possible? You looked completely different the last time we met."

"Regeneration, when I die I get a new body."

"Wow...you really are an alien... Who's she?"

"This is River Song, my wi...my travelling companion."

Was he about to say wife?

"Nice to meet you, I'm Barbara Campbell. I'm his...well I guess I'm his great granddaughter."

"Nice to meet you too."

I shook her hand, she seemed like a sweet girl. But now the Doctor had even more explaining to do. He actually had living family?

"How did you find us Barbara?"

"I thought you came to get us...I heard the sound of your spaceship and ran towards it."

"Well...we came by accident so that's a brilliant coincidence! How's Ian?"

"Oh we've been managing, though it's been hard. We ended up at a boarding school for some time after mum died...it was all right but we're trying to find an apartment now. We've both found some jobs. Ian has been getting by as a delivery boy, and I'm a library assistent now. Earth has almost found footing again."

"How about you go get Ian? And we'll take you to an opera in space!"

"You just have to say space and I'm sold! I'll go get Ian, I'll be back in twenty minutes! Don't go away again now!"

The girl ran of again, the Doctor's smile slowly fainted when he saw my confused look.

"Your great granddaughter? How can you have living family? Or is she like the Master? An echo of the past, is that poor girl going to die too?!"

"No! It's nothing like that, they're not even timelords. Not every timelord died during the time war, there was one other. Her name was Arkytior, but she called herself Susan Foreman. She was my granddaughter, we fled Gallifrey together, and travelled for a while. She eventually got tired of it, and settled down at 22nd century earth with a man named David Campbell. Ian and Barbara was their adopted kids, I met them twice, once at the end of my tenth life. They were very eager to travel, so I promised them I would come back one day. How lucky that you can't pilot the TARDIS probably."

I was about to make a comeback on that last comment, but I couldn't. Something wasn't right.

"Doctor. There's something you aren't telling me. They said their mother died, how can a timelord die? Especially one living a peacful life. And how could she keep away from the time war? What happened to her husband? Why adopt kids?

"Twenty minutes is a bit much don't you think? Let's take a shortcut."

The Doctor jumped up to the console and started working the controls. I was getting rather sick of this.


	6. The Phantom of the Space Opera part 2

**Chapter 6: The Phantom of the Space Opera part 2:**

The TARDIS once again materialized the same place. God the Doctor is impatient, can't even wait twenty minutes. Barbara returned immediately, the Doctor had made the TARDIS invisble again so she was a bit confused. With her she had a young man, he had the same black curly hair as her, and slight sideburns. That was Ian, they looked a lot like each other, though Ian didn't look as pleased as his sister. He had a very sceptic, almost angry look in his eyes.

"Ian! Welcome back! Impressive sideburns, those are some good genes you have, even though their not mine. Let's go!"

"Hold on" Ian said firmly. "Barbs, how do we even know it's him? He looks completely different, how do we know that regeneration thing or whatever isn't a lie? Look, even his spaceship looks different! He even made it invisible. What's he hiding from?"

"Just hear him out Ian."

"Barbs, you're too naive. We could be wandering of with a complete stranger. How do we even know the Doctor we know was legit? He left us to fend for ourselves for four years!"

"I'll vouch for him" I suddenly heard myself say. "This is the Doctor, you can trust him."

I even surprised myself. Despite all the lying, secrecy and manipulation, I trusted him.

"But how do we know we can trust you?" Ian said slightly agressively.

"Uhm...hadn't thought of that..." I answered.

"It's okay River, I'll take it from here."

The Doctor said down on the TARDIS stairs, he looked at the two young people, and started speaking calmly and humbly.

"You never can trust anyone really can you? Maybe I can't prove it, but I am the same man who visited you those two nights. We had dinner together, and your mother spoke about the two invasions. You may have been too young to understand any of that. But you are old enough now to understand that your mother, was a brave and strong woman. She had to endure a lot, she had to put up with me for years (he chuckled). I took care of her all those years, and she in return took care of me. She learned me to trust people, to see the brilliance in everyone. I kept her values with me for over nine hundred years. I pity you for not knowing her as long as I did, but I also envy you for knowing her in the happiest, and most peaceful period of her life. I'm not forcing you to come with us, but if you do, I'll show you everything your mother saw. All the magic and wonder we witnessed together. I'll give you one night, to try and trust me. But it's your choice."

I could see that both of them were spellbounded, even though Ian tried to hide it, to remain the cold sceptic. I knew how he felt. It's impossible not to fall in love with the Doctor's words some times. You never know what he thinks, but what he says always feels so genuine. He never talks down to you, a humble God.

Ian crossed his arms.

"Fine, one night. Barbs talked about some kind of Opera?"

"Ah yes! We're going to the Opera house of galaxy 67B!"

"But Doctor we only have two tickets."

"That's fine, kids get free entrance!"

"They're seventeen."

"Eighteen" Ian said offended.

"That's all right. Most of the guests are Doodraks, they're still kids at the age of hundred!"

"They're not Doodraks..."

"Shut up River I have everything under control!" He shouted while fooling around with the TARDIS console.

"We're here! I'll get some fancy clothes for us! River you watch the kids!" The Doctor ran of to the halls of the TARDIS.

"We're not kids..." Ian said.

"I think we all are in his eyes" I said.

There was an awkward minute of silence.

"So..." Barbara began. "How did you meet the Doctor?"

"Uhm...that's a bit complicated..."

"Are you his girlfriend?"

"What?!" I exclaimed while blushing. "No, we're both way too old for that kinds of silliness."

"Wife then?"

"I thi...I...I mean no! No...no...not at all!"

Why did I stutter? Why was I even blushing? I knew this was too stupid for me.

Ian started chuckling, I think that was the first time I saw him smile. Barbara started chuckling too, it was annoying.

"You're both like two kids" Ian said. "I think it's kinda cute. You'd make a cute couple."

"Yeah I ship it" Barbara said.

"What does that even mean?" I asked, I couldn't understand 22nd century slang.

Just then the Doctor came in again, and started to throwing clothes around.

"Here you go everybody! Some suits and dresses! Just choose your personal preference! The Doodraks are very accepting! I'll wear this."

"Oh no he didn't" I thought to myself, as the Doctor held up his old multicolored coat that I'd seen in old history files.

"You're not wearing that!"

"Of course I am, it's classic."

"That wasn't a suggestion Doctor, that was an order!"

"But... but nostalgia..."

"Go change Doctor."

"What about the blue one? Is that one okay?"

"Now!"

The Doctor ran of again.

"Wow" Barbara began. "You guys totally are a married couple."

They both started laughing.

"Just get changed."

Ian chose a classic black suit, Barbara a blue dress, and I my sexy red dress from the clothing store at the third Venus station. Part of me thought the Doctor picked it for me because he thought I looked hot in it. But it was probably imagination.

"How long is their to his wardrobe?" Ian asked.

"Long, the TARDIS is enormous."

"How big?"

"Last time I asked the Doctor, he told me to imagine the biggest spaceship imaginable, the TARDIS is bigger than that."

"Do you think he's in love with you?" Barbara asked.

I swear that girl can read minds.

"No, I don't think so. The lives of his companions are so fleeting, I don't think he's truly loved anyone since he left his home planet. A relationship with him would be hard and complicated. He's over nine hundred years old, he's seen and learned more than any of us ever could. How could he ever find someone to match him?"

They were both silent. Then the Doctor came running in again in a suit.

"All right everyone, we're ready! Don't socialize too much now, we're trying to be discreet. Also my name is Steven Taylor, River you're Evelyn Smythe, Ian you're John Benton, and Barbara you're Liz Shaw! Everybody got that? Good! Now let's go watch some Opera!"


End file.
